As The Rain Falls
by Kyri
Summary: Well, for those of you who have read Krondor, the Betrayal..its about Gorath and Owen for those who havent, well, you should.


Gorath sighed, he and Owen had been traveling to Krondor to try and give a message to the magician Pug, but luck had been going against them. It was raining, pouring actually. That cold, hard, harsh rain that made traveling impossible. The two had taken refuge in a cave, but still, it was freezing. Now cold he could deal with, being from the Northlands and all…but poor Owen, humans were so fragile, and Owen was fragile even for a human. Gorath looked back at the miserable, shivering, blanket covered lump that made up his traveling companion, and felt a little sorry for him. For Owen was a kind and gentle boy, who was a friend to a certain degree. But, there was something else…a certain, longing on Goraths part for the blonde haired mageling. It was common for his race to have feelings for the same gender, and even act upon them, as long as it didn't interfere with previous commitments. So Gorath knew what he was feeling for the poor boy. " Still…a human…and one I think wouldn't even think about something like that." Gorath tried to figure out where it had all started for him. Ok, it was the hair. He wanted to know what Owen's hair felt like.. it looked so damn soft and silky. " Well, there's only one way to find out…but how?" he thought to himself. Then he looked back at Owen. " He's cold, the best heat source is body warmth…" Gorath brightened at the idea. It was a way to get close to his friend, and have an excuse should Owen question him. He got up, and went over. He smiled seeing that Owen's eyes were closed, making him likely finally asleep. " At least that should give him some relief" he thought as he knelt down beside the boy.  
  
Owen inched a little closer to the fire he had somehow managed to call up using his magical powers, wet wood does not burn well. He was cold, and he was wet, the worst possible combination. "I hope I don't get sick…." He thought to himself, trying not to shiver so much. "That would slow us down even more, and we don't have the time…" Owen closed his eyes, in order to try and doze off at least. That's why he tensed a bit as he felt strong arms go around him, lifting him up slightly in to a sitting position, leaning against something very warm. Owen opened his eyes, and stared, a tiny bit shocked up into the face of Gorath.  
  
Gorath looked down, "alright, maybe Owen wasn't asleep after all." He thought to himself, out loud he added " Your freezing. I can see the fire isn't helping you at all, so I thought we should try something else." There, plausible explanation as to why he had Owen so effectively trapped in his embrace.  
  
Owen relaxed slightly " Body heat…yeah, id forgotten that…" he breathed, already starting to doze off slightly as warmth infused his cold skin. Forget dozing off, Owen was asleep in minutes, just grateful for the relief from that biting cold.  
  
"Good, he's asleep for real this time…" Gorath murmured quietly. Now was his chance. Bending a leg slightly and resting his arm upon his knee, he braced Owen against the effectively created bar, leaving his hands free. Taking a deep breath, he ran his fingers cautiously through the blonde hair. Damn, it was even softer and silkier then it looked, not good. Then his fingers gently brushed up gainst Owens cheek accidentally, giving him a start. He'd always assumed all human's skin was course, and rough, much like their nature on the whole, but…the sleeping mage's skin was soft, and smooth, much like a warm version of ivory, or marble. This was…surprising, although, given Owens nature, not too much of a shock. What was surprising was that when his fingers brushed over his cheek, Owen had sighed slightly, and snuggled closer, but nuzzling the caress. Maybe…maybe his position wasn't so hopeless after all.  
  
Owen was dreaming. He was comfortable, warm, and feeling incredibly protected and safe. It was not a position he was used to anymore, but one he welcomed gratefully. He felt happy, wanting nothing more then to get closer to that source of the feeling, what it was, he didn't know yet… Then he felt gentle fingers linger over his cheek, only serving to amplify all that was going on in his mind. He wanted more, the contact was so soothing, and…and…still, he didn't know who or what was providing it. But…did it matter? He wasn't worried; it felt like the good kind of familiar actually. If this was what was waiting in the dream world besides his nightmares, Owen did not want to awaken.  
  
Gorath smiled down at the peacefully sleeping magelett, glad that he didn't appear to be distressed, maybe he'd get lucky and avoid getting sick. He couldn't help but sigh slightly; it had been so long since he'd been this close to anyone, as he was a slight lone wolf after his marriage fiasco. (sniffle, I always felt sorry for Gorath with his two wives being either dead or against him…though that does sound like the typical ex ne?) Gorath was brought back from his mindwandering by a tiny whimper from his sleeping charge.  
  
Blackness, if you could call it that, so dark that it seemed to destroy all colour and warmth creeped upon the edges of Owen's comfortable dream like the singed edges of a half way burnt piece of paper. He tried to cling to the light that surrounded him, but he felt him self being pulled down into the cold. Feelings of terror and despair filtered through his soul, making him fall from his lights gracing presence…he couldn't stop falling, would any one catch him? No one ever caught him before….  
  
Gorath pulled Owen protectively closer, cradling him against his broad chest and looking down at his panicked face. He stroked the distressed boy's slightly rumpled hair and hummed softly, soothingly under his breath, hoping that his efforts would destroy what ever was scaring Owen so. The shivering went away as the boy relaxed once more.  
  
Suddenly, the darkness was gone, with it the cold, the despair the taunting voices that pulled him down into free fall, once more was Owen surrounded by the light. It had saved him, but why? 


End file.
